Courses

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 10 a.m. - noon

Wednesday September 30

$24 for members, $32 for non-members

Description

Watch the Preview Video for Wild Fermented Breads

Back by popular demand! This session will offer a literal hands-on lesson about ancient breads fermented with wild microbes, including sourdough, salt rising, and gluten free. Salt rising bread is an Appalachian invention from the 1700’s. You'll learn to knead bread and employ other tricks for a delicious flavor and excellent crust. Plan to share your bread stories and hear about the history of bread from around the world from a master baker and leading expert on salt rising bread.  

Tasting samples and recipes will be provided, as well as a sourdough starter from 1890’s Cripple Creek, Colorado, mini loaves of sourdough to bake at home, mini loaves of salt rising bread, and a gluten free sourdough starter.

Note: This course is limited to 22 students. 

Instructor

Genevieve Bardwell

Genevieve Bardwell lived in an Appalachian community where salt rising bread was invented 300 years ago. She spent decades extensively researching the history, lore, and science of salt rising bread through archives, bakeries, and research labs around the world. Genevieve graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in New York, earned an MS degree in Plant Pathology, established Rising Creek Bakery, and has published two books: Salt Rising Bread: Recipes and Heartfelt Stories of a Nearly Forgotten Appalachian Tradition, and Mystery Bread of the Hollows. Currently she conducts research and teaches classes on yeast-free fermented breads.

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 10 a.m. - noon

Thursday October 1,
Thursday October 8,
Thursday October 15,
Thursday October 22

$96 for members, $128 for non-members

Description

Watch the Preview Video for A Brief History of Immigration to the Puget Sound Area

This course will study the effects of immigration and migration to the Puget Sound /Salish Sea area. We will survey the history of the Native peoples of the Salish sea, the arrival of settlers, the growth of immigration in the late 1800s and the growth of anti-Asian nativism. The course will peruse the effects of the 1924 Immigration Act and World War II and examine the economic reasons for immigration, past and present. Michael will also discuss his personal family connection to local immigration and the Bellingham Anti-immigration riot of 1907.

This class will feature a "discussion piece." Michael will present for 45 minutes and then open the floor for 15 minutes of discussion and questions, repeating this format for the second half of every class.

Instructor

Michael Johnson

Michael Johnson holds a BA in history from Western Washington University and an MA degree from California State University-Dominguez Hills. Michael’s paternal family has lived in Bellingham since 1885. One of his great-grandfathers took part in the anti-immigrant riot in Bellingham in 1907. Michael has taught ten classes for ALL over the past decade. 

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Thursday October 1,
Thursday October 8,
Thursday October 15,
Thursday October 22

$96 for members, $128 for non-members

Description

Watch the Preview Video for HerStory: Contemporary Women Artists

This course celebrates the diversity of women artists who have emerged onto the global art scene in recent decades. Following the activism of the Feminist Art Movement, women have gained unprecedented recognition from collectors and museum curators, although not without controversy.

This course seeks to bring the art and lives of these women further into the spotlight. We will begin with artists who gained attention in the 1980s, such as Maya Lin, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, and Emily Kam Kngwarry, and will conclude with rising stars of the 2000s, such as Wangechi Mutu and Rose B. Simpson. 

Instructor

Teresa Martinelli

Teresa Martinelli holds an M.S. degree in Art History from the University of California at Davis. She has been teaching for more than 30 years, including full-semester courses for credit and non-credit, and continuing-education classes. Her recent research has focused on reclaiming the place of women artists in the pantheon of art history. 

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Zoom, 10 a.m. - noon

Friday October 2,
Friday October 9

$48 for members, $64 for non-members

Description

Watch the Preview Video for How to Save Democracy

Most Americans agree that U.S. democracy is in trouble, but the solutions that are typically offered seem inadequate. Using research from political science and comparisons to other countries and U.S. states, MS NOW editor and Georgetown University instructor Ryan Teague Beckwith will go over a number of workable proposals to reduce partisan polarization, restore checks and balances, and improve the functioning of the federal government.  

This two-session course will look closely at

• The reasons for democratic dysfunction,  
• The proposals to fix it,
• And the upsides and downsides of each. 

Instructor

Ryan Teague Beckwith

Ryan Teague Beckwith is a journalist with MS NOW and adjunct professor at Georgetown University. He has a MS degree in journalism from Columbia University. A native of the Seattle area, he served as co-editor, with John C. Hughes, of On the Harbor, a history of Grays Harbor County. He has previously worked at outlets as varied as TIME magazine, Bloomberg News, and CQ Roll Call. He currently covers national politics.

Ryan Teague Beckwith joins us from Washington, D.C. via Zoom. 

Registration

This class is offered online

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Monday October 5

$24 for members, $32 for non-members

Description

Watch the Preview Video for A Crash Course in British Pantomime: An Entertaining Spectacular

Forget the silent performer in white gloves—British pantomime, or "panto," is anything but quiet! Far from the world of mime, a panto is a loud, vibrant, and uniquely British holiday tradition. These theatrical productions take classic fairy tales and turn them upside down with flamboyant costumes, exaggerated acting, and satirical musical numbers set to popular tunes.

In this two-hour course, you will discover why audience participation isn't just welcomed—it’s required. Through a lively mix of video clips and photos, we will explore the over-the-top sets and comedic "shenanigans" that define the genre.

This course will include a video featuring Jo Sears, who will explain the history of panto and the variety of ingredients included in this very lively and creative form of British seasonal theatre. Jo serves as producer and consultant for pantos performed at Vancouver’s Metro Theatre. She will also serve as costume designer for the Sleeping Beauty panto we will see at the Metro in December.

Why Attend?

• Decode the Tradition: Learn the history and "rules" of this eccentric theatrical style.
• Get Performance-Ready: Understand how to interact with the cast so you can fully join in the laughter and song.
• Prepare for the Excursion: This course is the perfect primer for our December excursion led by Jeff Eastman to see a live panto in Vancouver (offered separately), or for any performance you attend on your own. 

Instructor

Jeff Eastman

Jeff Eastman lived in England for 14 years and attended many different pantos. He greatly appreciates the creativity that goes into the various facets of panto that make them so entertaining and successful. Jeff’s theatrical background includes over 50 years of directing student productions and creating sets and props for community and school productions.  

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 10 a.m. - noon

Tuesday October 6,
Tuesday October 13

$48 for members, $64 for non-members

Description

Watch the Preview Video for Norse Myth, Legend, and Saga

The stormy mythologies and heroic legends of northern Europe will be brought to life as we dive into some of the most spell-binding and intriguing tales of bygone ages. All the unforgettable characters are here: Odin, Loki, Thor, the Valkyries, the hero Sigurd who slays the venomous dragon Fafnir, cursed rings, dwarfs, elves, frost giants. All these characters were preserved in Iceland after they disappeared in Europe.

Tolkien and Wagner borrowed heavily from these tales, and persona from the hero tales are frequently found in modern fantasy and science fiction. These include elves, dwarfs, undead warriors, giants, dragons, and magical weapons. Session 1 will focus on myths, and Session 2 will examine the Volsung Saga hero tale and the medieval Icelandic sagas.

Some of the most thrilling stories that have ever been written merit a seat beside the sedate stories of ancient Greece.

Instructor

Dr. Adam Moles

Dr. Adam Moles did graduate studies in Arthurian literature under the tutelage of the famed Arthurian scholar Douglas Gray, the Tolkien Chair for Languages and Literature at the University of Oxford. He minored in early Scandinavian literature at the University of Washington and taught English literature at the University of Alaska. He also worked in and taught marine biology and medical microbiology as his primary career.

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 10 a.m. - noon

Wednesday October 14,
Wednesday October 21,
Wednesday October 28

$72 for members, $96 for non-members

Description

Watch the Preview Video for Fins and Flukes: Seals, Sea Lions and Whales of Northern Oceans

This class is your chance to get to know and recognize our mammal neighbors in the water world next door.

These Pinnipeds and Cetacea represent the zenith of marine mammal evolution in many diverse ecotypes of the cold, northern oceans. We will explore their field ID, amazing adaptations, bio-ecology, distribution, habitat preferences, and fascinating behaviors through stunning imagery, factual research and personal experience in our fun and interactive discussions.

Join us for this in-depth discovery class of both local and seldom seen bathing beauties and swimmers of the deep.

Instructor

David Drummond

David Drummond, Wildlife Biologist and Naturalist-Educator, has spent many years researching and educating about the life histories of the world’s marine mammals from northern to southern oceans on board ships and from shore. He enjoys helping people better understand the relationship of kindred life forms and a healthy planet for all. David has offered natural history courses of the region and world for ALL/WWU for over 26 years.  

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Wednesday October 14,
Wednesday October 21,
Wednesday October 28,
Wednesday November 4

$96 for members, $128 for non-members

Description

This course provides a detailed examination of the Gaza War ignited by the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023. It begins with background on the origins of Gaza as a political-geographical enclave, then briefly traces the history of the previous Gaza wars (2008-2021). In the process, it outlines changes within Israeli and Palestinian politics since the collapse of the 1990s peace process, highlighting the subsequent ascendancy of right-wing movements within both Gaza (in the form of Hamas) and Israel (Netanyahu’s Likud party, the settler parties, and Jewish fundamentalists).

It then delves at length into the Gaza War of 2023-25 in both its local and international dimensions, including the role of the United States, and asks what the ensuing destruction of Gaza means for Gazans and fellow Palestinians, for Israeli politics, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and for the wider world. The course also covers the conflicts that have surrounded the Gaza War, including Israel’s wars with Lebanon, Yemen, and Iran, and American involvements in them.

It asks whether a new “forever war” has been created by the post-October 7 situation and reflects on how and why the United States is essential to the prospects for war and peace, not just in Israel-Palestine but throughout the now war-wracked region from the Eastern Mediterranean to the Persian Gulf.

NOTE: The course does not offer students "solutions," nor does it focus on the full range of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Instead, its stress is on understanding the conflict between Zionism and the Palestinians in its historical contexts, examining why different actors made the choices they did, and apprehending the different ways in which Palestinians and Israelis have narrated and understood their experiences. 

Instructor

Charles Anderson

Charles Anderson has a PhD from New York University and is Associate Professor of History at Western Washington University, where he has taught Middle Eastern history since 2014. A senior editor at Arab Studies Journal, his published work has received several awards and distinctions, such as the Elie and Sylvia Kedourie Prize for Outstanding Article from the venerable journal, Middle Eastern Studies (2018), and recognition for his 2017 article in the Journal of Palestine Studies during its 50th anniversary celebration.

His current book project, examining the Palestinian national movement and its independence struggle in the 1930s, has been supported by a Harry Frank Guggenheim award. His recent publications include a chapter in the edited volume, Palestine’s Christians and the Nationalist Cause: The Late Ottoman and Mandatory Periods (Routledge, 2024, the introduction to an essay collection on the 2021 Gaza war (published in Arab Studies Journal), and an article on the origins of human shielding in Palestine in Comparative Studies in Society and History (2021). 

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 10 a.m. - noon

Tuesday October 20

$24 for members, $32 for non-members

Description

Watch the Preview Video for Legendary Folk Heroes: Robin Hood to Zorro

The heroes that each country adopts as national icons strongly reflect the values of those people. As the cultural norms change, so do the stories we tell about these foundational characters. My favorites are the rogues, often trickster types living in the liminal spaces.

Let’s focus during the first half of the class on how Robin Hood evolved through the stages of carnivalesque, outlaw, liminal hero and classic trickster, distressed aristocrat, philanthropist, and finally feminist icon. Then we will examine to what extent each of these ideas apply to the folk heroes of Ireland (Finn McCool), Spain (El Cid), and the U.S. (Zorro).

Unlike ancient semi-divine heroes that are firmly embedded and reflect the virtues of bygone eras, these characters have changed to reflect the concerns of each time period. The universal appeal of seeing those with strength and intelligence grappling with the forces of oppression and evil speak to what is most noble in each of us.

Instructor

Dr. Adam Moles

Dr. Adam Moles did graduate studies in medieval literature under the tutelage of the famed Arthurian and Robin Hood scholar Douglas Gray, the Tolkien Chair for Languages and Literature at the University of Oxford. Adam taught English literature at the University of Alaska. He also worked in and taught marine biology and medical microbiology as his primary career.

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 10 a.m. - noon

Tuesday November 3,
Tuesday November 10,
Tuesday November 17

$72 for members, $96 for non-members

Description

Watch the Preview Video for Masterful Storytelling

Have you ever wondered how to tell a story so listeners hang on every word? Of the many industries that rely on effective storytelling—advertising, journalism, and professional fundraising, to name a few—mainstream filmmaking operates, ironically, within some of the most inflexible storytelling constraints of any creative field.

• In this course, we will analyze films, TV series, and related media—both popular and obscure—to learn about the story rules that consistently work, and how they apply to situations you might not even think of as stories.
• By watching short films and discussing your favorite movies, novels, and plays, we will reveal some core “story hacks”—alternative ways to think about the classic three-act structure.
• We will listen to fantasy fiction author Neil Gaiman read one of his short stories, and then use that story as a first act, expanding his work into a rich and complex novel or feature film, using “story hacks."

Many of us know the term “elevator pitch”—the nail-biting art of conveying a compelling story to someone influential as if we have only a brief elevator ride with them to do so—and we will break down this grueling process, made famous by Hollywood studio executives, to appreciate how effectively it lays bare the requirements of a great story.  

Instructor

Jeffrey Townsend

Jeffrey Townsend has been helping film-industry professionals of all kinds tell their stories for 50 years. With an Emmy Award for cartoon-writing and a range of awards for his work in mainstream film, he is an author, composer, screenwriter, and lyricist. As a production designer* and second unit director* he has helped filmmakers Martin Scorsese, John Schlesinger, Paul Mazursky, John Sayles, and many others to tell their stories. As a producer, he worked closely with artist Matt Groening to bring The Simpsons to life for the first time.

*We'll learn in class what these job titles actually mean!

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Zoom, 10 a.m. - noon

Friday November 6

$24 for members, $32 for non-members

Description

Watch the Preview Video for The World “Superbowl” of Music

The world's most watched live media event is NOT a sporting event! The Eurovision Song Contest has captivated TV viewers for over 70 years. In this presentation, Bob Vinatieri explores the history and backroom secrets of this extravaganza with

• Powerful singing
• Delightful choreography and
• Technical wizardry

Included in the presentation will be videos of world favorites who started their careers at the Eurovision Song Contest: Abba, Celine Dion, and Julio Iglesias to name a few. Do you know the Italian pop song, Volare? It was a 1958 song contest entry, but came in third out of ten songs.  

It all started in 1956, ten years after the conclusion of WWII, with one evening's live TV event featuring songs from seven countries. The competition has evolved from a simple song contest to a high-tech, three-night visual spectacle, replacing the live orchestra with backing tracks and focusing heavily on performance. This live event has featured up to 52 nations and dozens of languages. For 70 years, it has remained true to the 3-minute song time frame and a live singer(s).

Besides short videos of memorable programs, we also delve into the geopolitical world of censorship and gamesmanship among the regional Euro powers, and the importance of language. But our focus will be on the songs and their performers. The video catalogue of songs ranges from the outrageous to the sublime! This is EuroPop at its finest! 

Instructor

Bob Vinatieri

Bob Vinatieri has visited more than 60 countries on six continents via a wide variety of planes, boats, and trains. He has lectured at Chicago's City-Wide College on both travel and geography. Late 20th century Euro Pop music has been one of his hobby passions, while he serves as a Roads Scholar host and lecturer on several of the Columbia and Snake River boats as well as online.

Bob joins us from Portland via zoom.

Registration

This class is offered online

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Tuesday November 10,
Thursday November 12,
Tuesday November 17,
Thursday November 19

$96 for members, $128 for non-members

Description

Watch the Preview Video for Post USSR: The Independence of Five Central Asian Countries

This course examines the five Central Asian countries who became independent after the breakup of the USSR—Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan—with a focus on key issues of interest to all five to include energy, water sharing, international terrorism movements, and the Soviet legacy.

The intent is to expand students’ understanding of these five unique countries whose history extends thousands of years back to Genghis Khan, the Silk Road, and the Russian Empire. Students will also be sensitized to the intercultural conflicts between the five countries and how each has chosen to make its way through the highly polarized international environment in which they find themselves.

The course will be given over four sessions as follows:

• a discussion of the key challenges these countries have in common
• a closeup look at Kyrgyzstan with a focus on how its government’s approach differs from the others, followed by a discussion of Tajikistan
• the two powerhouses: Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan
• a look at Turkmenistan: the hermit kingdom of Central Asia and then discuss the geopolitical pressures and fissures for these countries trapped between Russia, Afghanistan, and China

Each session will devote the last 20 minutes to questions and discussion. 

Instructor

Eileen A. Malloy

Eileen A. Malloy was a career Foreign Service officer from 1978 - 2008, serving as US Ambassador in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan from 1994 to 1997 and as a reemployed retiree for the State Department 2008 - 2015. Ms. Malloy holds a BS of Foreign Service in Russian and East European Affairs from Georgetown University in Washington, DC. She first studied in the USSR in 1971, returning as an exchange student at the University of Leningrad in 1973, and served two tours of duty at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.

Eileen has visited, lived, and worked temporarily in almost 80 countries or territories around the world. Her Washington assignments have included Deputy Assistant Secretary for East and Central Europe, Director of the Secretariat Staff, Special Assistant for Europe and Arms Control for the Under Secretary for Political Affairs, Senior Inspector/Team Leader for the Inspector General, and Senior Advisor on Russia for Energy Secretary Bill Richardson. Her most recent overseas postings include U.S. Consul General in Sydney, Australia; U.S. Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic; U.S. charge d'affaires in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan; and two tours at Embassy Moscow.  

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 10 a.m. - noon

Tuesday December 1,
Tuesday December 8

$48 for members, $64 for non-members

Description

Watch the Preview Video for An Introduction to the Weather of Northwestern Washington

Do you want to learn what influences our local weather, where to go to get up-to-date weather information for our area, and how to find and interpret the best weather forecasts for our region? Join us for an introduction to the meteorology of northwestern Washington, an area whose weather has been described as “whacko” by friends, colleagues and strangers alike! We’ll help you unravel the mysteries of why our weather behaves as it does and arm you with the tools you’ll need to never be surprised by our weather again.

We’ll first cover basic meteorological concepts, key weather elements, and the tools used to observe and predict the weather. Then, we’ll transition to local conditions, microclimates in our area, and the development of hazardous weather conditions that affect us.  

Concepts that will allow us to understand how weather systems develop:

• how the geography and climatology of our area influence our local weather
• convergence zones
• rain shadows
• sea/land breezes
• Fraser River outflow
• extratropical cyclones
• atmospheric rivers and bomb cyclones
• the jet stream
• flooding
• windstorms  
• how weather forecasts are generated

We’ll wrap up the second session with a short forecasting lab exercise so you can learn to create your own forecasts. 

Instructor

Charles G. “Lin” Lindsey

Charles G. “Lin” Lindsey's career spans more than 40 years as an atmospheric scientist and technology product manager. He's been consistently praised for the passion and knowledge he shares with students and colleagues. Lin has published a number of papers and reports on the role meteorology plays in air quality, emergency response scenarios, and commercial aviation operations. He's an active sailor and serves as the weather advisor for a local charter sail and power boating company. He is also the author of Marine Weather of the Northern Waters of the Salish Sea. Lin received his BA in Political Economy from The Colorado College, his MS in Environmental Sciences from the University of Virginia, and his MBA from the University of Washington Foster School of Business.

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Wednesday December 9,
Wednesday December 16

$48 for members, $64 for non-members

Description

Watch the Preview Video for Before the Civil War: From Framing the Constitution to Secession

The American Civil War was by far the bloodiest and costliest war in this nation’s history. What caused it? Could it have been prevented? Was the South crazy in thinking it could win against a North that was larger, more populous, and more industrial? How large a role did slavery actually play? It is often argued that the war itself, more than the simple existence of slavery, is the source of much racial tension to this day.

This course will address these questions and propose some answers. We will begin by reviewing 1) the drafting of the U.S. Constitution in 1787 (where "the seeds of disunion were sown"), and 2) the notorious Three-Fifths Clause. We will then examine briefly the pivotal Missouri Crisis, which Thomas Jefferson described as a “fire bell in the night."

Primarily, we will focus on the 1850s, during which the huge territory won from Mexico (known as the Mexican Cession), and the issues that flowed from it, led inexorably to the war itself through a series of violent episodes and general unrest.

In addition, we will consider some major players: Stephen A. Douglas, John Brown, and Dred Scott—and, most importantly, Abraham Lincoln, his almost mystical view of the Republic, and his determination to remain true to the new Republican party’s ideal of “no slavery in the territories.”

This lecture-style course will allow time for questions and discussion to help us better understand the causes of this tragic war, which has had a profound and enduring impact on American society. 

Instructor

Jim Lyons

Jim Lyons is a native of the other Washington, Washington, DC. He has a BA in economics from the American University. He earned a master’s degree in American history from the University of Texas in Austin, Texas.

He has 12 years’ experience teaching a survey course in U.S. History at the Austin Community College and recently completed coursework in U.S. African-American history prior to 1865. 

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 10 a.m. - noon

Thursday December 10

$24 for members, $32 for non-members

Description

Watch the Preview Video for The Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster

Professor Edward Vajda describes his experience working as a translator and news analyst in the Moscow office of CBS News during the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in April 1986. He will cover the history of the Soviet nuclear industry before describing the events at Chernobyl in detail. Vajda explains the reasons for the accident and explores its far-reaching political, social, and environmental aftermath.

Instructor

Edward J. Vajda

Edward J. Vajda is professor of Russian and Eurasian Studies at Western Washington University. A former interpreter and translator, he has been on the faculty of Western’s Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures since 1987. His research involves documenting endangered languages of Siberia and tracing their historical origins. He has conducted original fieldwork on the Ket language, with fewer than 50 speakers in the remote Yenisei River basin. He teaches courses in Russian language, culture and history, as well as linguistics and Inner Asian and Siberian peoples. Vajda received Western's Excellence of Teaching Award in 1992 and Paul J. Olscamp Distinguished Research Award in 2011.

Ed has taught several courses on Russian topics for ALL that remain among the most popular ever offered.  

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Zoom, 10 a.m. - noon

Friday December 11,
Friday December 18

$48 for members, $64 for non-members

Description

Watch the Preview Video for Those Famous Contemporary Furniture Makers and Their Fabulous Creations

Throughout history, furniture makers and decorative artists have often been relegated to a lesser status behind painters and sculptors, but furniture and decorative objects are important works of art in and of themselves.

The creative processes employed by these imaginative artists conveyed not only their status and talents; the works of art they fashioned accorded prestige to the individuals for whom they were created. Beauty and opulence were keywords in these creations, as these pieces revealed the meticulous methods employed and sumptuous materials used.

This course traces furniture styles in Europe and America in the 20th and 21st centuries, focusing on the detailed methods of wood carving, lacquering, upholstery, mechanization, and other construction techniques. The lives of the artists and their patrons are also discussed in the context of the eras in which they lived.

Note: Eleanor Schrader's previous course on furniture makers is not a prerequisite.

Instructor

Eleanor Schrader

Eleanor Schrader holds an MBA from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. She is an award-winning educator, lecturer and author. She lectures and leads tours worldwide on art and architectural history. She has been named a distinguished instructor at UCLA Extension, where she teaches history of architecture, interior design, furniture, and decorative arts. She is also a Professor Emeritus of Art and Architectural History at Santa Monica College. She has done graduate work in fine and decorative arts at Sotheby's Institute in London and New York. She has served as a design review commissioner for the City of Beverly Hills and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the John Lautner Foundation.

Eleanor joins us on zoom from southern California and has taught many courses for ALL. 

Registration

This class is offered online

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 10 a.m. - noon

Tuesday January 5,
Tuesday January 12,
Tuesday January 19,
Tuesday January 26

$96 for members, $128 for non-members

Description

One thing's for certain: we all die. But time, place, and circumstances vary. Our final transition is influenced by what our own death means to us, where we breathe our last breath, and the legacy we leave once we are gone.

End-of-life experiences vary depending on whether a death is expected or unexpected, stigmatized or socially supported, whether it occurs alone or among loved ones, or whether we have the say we want in our end-of-life care.

This course begins with an exploration of death in various historic periods and cultures. Then we will delve into the emotional and psychological aspects of death and grief, and how these are influenced by who is dying or has died and the role this person has played in others' lives.

Next, we will look into practical matters such as how to deal with our "stuff," how to advocate for ourselves or loved ones within the healthcare system, our options for funerals or end-or-life celebrations, and body disposition. Finally, we will spend time on self-reflection and useful resources related to dying, grief, and mourning.

Instructor

Laura Overstreet

Laura Overstreet, Ph.D., is a sociologist who taught courses in the areas of marriage and family at WWU until her retirement in 2024. She currently serves as Associate Professor-Adjunct at the University of Maryland, teaching courses in gerontology and end-of-life issues. She is the author of Gaining Perspective, a lifespan psychology text. She has worked as a psychotherapist in in-patient and out-patient settings.  

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Wednesday January 6,
Wednesday January 13,
Wednesday January 20,
Wednesday January 27

$96 for members, $128 for non-members

Description

Watch the Preview Video for Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction: An Evidence-Based Workshop

Research on mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) training has consistently demonstrated positive outcomes associated with increased self-awareness, as well as attention and emotional regulation. There can also be a reduction in symptoms for various physical and behavioral health conditions including anxiety, depression, and chronic pain.

We will explore the tools this evidence-based program offers, including meditation, movement practices, and engaging in discussion with each other during the course.

Mobilizing innate resources and experimenting with perception, patterns, communication styles and more, we will employ strategies to address and decrease stress, noticing the effects of various options, gaining familiarity with neuroplasticity, appreciation, and what we assimilate.

Audio and video recording links for home practice will be offered. Handouts will be provided for our on-site and your at-home experiences. Home practice is optional, although it is essential for maximizing the benefits of MBSR.

Please wear layers of clothing, as each session will have movement and stillness practices. Bring a small pillow, a light blanket or towel to sit on if you like. Yoga mats are welcome if you have one. Students are welcome to sit on chairs instead of the floor during any mindfulness or movement exercises.

Please join us and explore how mindfulness may support you in living life more fully, with greater peace, ease, and joy.

Note: This course is limited to 25 students. 

Instructor

Lori Kristina Lindgren

Lori Kristina Lindgren is a Certified MBSR Teacher - Brown University with a BA in communication / art from the University of Minnesota Duluth. She has created and taught wellness, meditation, and yoga workshops and classes in the U.S., Cuba, Nicaragua and Cambodia. She taught "Befriending the Seat" at the Global Conference on Buddhism in Berkeley and provided yoga training for the U.S. Men's Olympic rowing team in Oakland.

She has co-taught MBSR to medical professionals at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, as well as delivered wellness and wellbeing workshops for nonprofits aiding the underserved, at-risk kids, and adult trauma survivors. She continues to teach movement practices to athletes, teams, medical office professionals, and to seniors for healthy aging. 

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Tuesday January 12,
Tuesday January 19,
Tuesday January 26

$72 for members, $96 for non-members

Description

Watch the Preview Video for The Myriad Dimensions of Dance

Dance is an art form that appeals to audiences as well as participants for its rich history and cultural significance, its beauty and emotional power, and its range of styles and purposes.

In this course, Professor Pam Kuntz will demystify dance, step by step, to foster a deeper appreciation of its universal importance.

Session 1 will introduce folk dance for enjoyment and community-building, as well as for survival—e.g., Capoeira, a Brazilian form merging acrobatics, music, and self-defense, created by enslaved West Africans resolved to maintain their culture. We'll also learn how dance is valued by the incarcerated—from South Africans using rhythms to communicate in the diamond mines to current-day prison programs that humanize by encouraging personal expression and providing tools to re-enter society. Finally, we'll learn about line dancing from the U.S. to the Balkans to Palestine.

Session 2 will examine dance anatomy and science, experiential dancing, and the use of dance for health, both physical and mental—specifically for individuals with neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s Disease, for whom dance is used as movement therapy.  

Session 3 will describe how professional dancers train to perform and advance in their careers. We'll contrast the work of Merce Cunningham and Mark Morris, renowned contemporary choreographers who use music very differently.  

Instructor

Pam Kuntz

Pam Kuntz holds a BFA from the University of Montana and an MFA from the Boston Conservatory. She danced in New York, Boston, and Montana before moving to Bellingham in 1999 to teach at WWU. She also teaches a community-based course for people with Parkinson's Disease and other neurological disorders.

She was a founding member of the professional Bellingham Repertory Dance Company and is also founder and Artistic Director of "Kuntz and Company" (http://kuntzandco.org/), where she works with professional artists and community members. Pam is the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions including the Bellingham Mayor’s Arts Award and the Ken Gass Community Builder award. 

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Thursday January 21,
Thursday January 28

$48 for members, $64 for non-members

Description

Watch the Preview Video for Galapagos in Focus

Join photographer and educator Carol Sheppard for a visual journey through the Galapagos Archipelago. Experience the islands through the lens of a small-group expedition guided by expert naturalists. Established in 1959, the Galapagos National Park remains a living laboratory of evolution, offering a rare glimpse into the pristine ecosystems that inspired Charles Darwin.

This course showcases stunning photography of the archipelago’s diverse landscapes and its famous endemic flora and fauna. Because the islands' animals have evolved in isolation, students will observe unique behaviors captured at close range.

Course Highlights:

• Geography: Mapping the islands and their volcanic origins
• Evolution: Darwin’s legacy and the biology of endemic species
• Human Impact: The history of settlement and the challenges of population growth
• Conservation: The islands' vital role in the modern world

Instructor

Carol Sheppard

Carol Sheppard is a local award-winning and published author and educator. She has presented a broad range of travel and wildlife photographs at Whatcom Community College, the Bellingham Senior Activity Center, and at various camera clubs across the U.S. Her work has also appeared in articles for the Photographic Society of America journal and the Northwest Nature and Wildlife Photographers magazine. 

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 10 a.m. - noon

Tuesday February 2,
Tuesday February 9,
Tuesday February 16,
Tuesday February 23

$96 for members, $128 for non-members

Description

Watch the Preview Video for Painted with Yarn

Color is the language of emotion. It has the power to energize, soothe, or ground us. By learning to decode the colors of the natural world, we unlock a more mindful way of seeing our surroundings. In this workshop, we will learn the fundamentals of color theory. Using yarn as our "paint," we will translate memories of favorite flowers, landscapes, and sunsets into tactile woven keepsakes. 

Session 1: Seeing Color. Dive into the color wheel. We’ll explore hue, value, color blending, and harmony, and analyze the color story and mood of a personal nature photograph. Please bring a nature photograph that speaks to you.

Session 2: Creating a Palette. Move theory into practice by selecting yarns to "match" your photo’s color scheme, explore design elements, curate your vision on a design board, and warp your loom.

Session 3: The First Stitch. Begin translating your image to the loom. We’ll cover essential techniques like plain weave, color blending, pattern, organic texture, even adding found items from nature.

Session 4: Nature for a Keepsake. Finish your weaving, learn how to take it off the loom, and share the story behind your colorful interpretation.

By the end of this workshop, not only will you have transformed a personal memory into a tangible piece of art; you will also gain artistic skills and techniques in color mastery, weaving fundamentals, composition design, and learn a new way of "seeing" nature by breaking down landscapes into colors and mood.

NOTES:  

This course is limited to 20 students.

Small looms will be provided; everyone should bring a personal nature photograph, leftover yarns, scissors, pencil, colored pencils (if you have them), blue tape.

Materials Fee: $10 For instructor-provided materials (looms, yarns, small color wheel, handouts, cardstock, tracing paper, etc. (cash only) 

Instructor

Susan Torntore

Susan Torntore, PhD, is a textile historian, author, and handweaver. She worked for over 40 years in museums as a collections curator and exhibition designer. In academia, she taught museum studies, apparel design, textile science, and textiles and dress from historical, social and cultural perspectives. Her portfolio also includes the design and build process of two academic textile museums.

Retired since 2018, Susan is very happy to be weaving again and presenting programs and workshops to international audiences. Her current research explores British tweed fabrics in mid-century American fashion, and she is learning to weave complex tweed fabrics for making garments. Susan loves sharing the rich tapestry of textiles as human history, culture, and creativity. 

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Zoom, 10 a.m. - noon

Wednesday February 3,
Wednesday February 10,
Wednesday February 17,
Wednesday February 24

$96 for members, $128 for non-members

Description

Two of the most well-known and recognizable artists in the world, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, each represent the concept of the Renaissance Man, and their art exemplifies the concepts of the High Renaissance. They were also contemporaries and rivals fighting for commissions in Florence and arguing over the superiority of painting versus sculpture.

We will look at the rise of each artist and the highlights of their careers as well as the development of their refined styles. We will also explore the relationship and competitive nature between these two leading artists.  

Instructor

Katherine E. Zoraster

Katherine E. Zoraster is an Art Historian and a Professor of Art History at several local colleges specializing in Western art from the Renaissance to the 20th century. She graduated with a double major in English Literature and Art History from the University of California, Los Angeles. Following her undergraduate degree, she received a Master’s Degree with Distinction in Art History from the California State University at Northridge.

In addition to the courses Katherine teaches for various colleges and adult learning programs, she is also a member of the Art Muse team, giving private museum tours and teaching classes, and she serves as a commissioner for the Burbank Cultural Arts Commission. Outside of teaching, one of her favorite things to do is to travel while trying to visit as many art museums as possible.

Katherine Zoraster joins us via zoom from southern California. 

Registration

This class is offered online

Zoom, 10 a.m. - noon

Friday February 5,
Friday February 12,
Friday February 19

$72 for members, $96 for non-members

Description

Watch the Preview Video for Ragtime to Rock and Roll

To truly understand American music, we must first understand the history that American culture has tried to forget and embark on a journey that recognizes Black American Music as a celebration of the human condition.

Through recordings, video and lecture, this course will illustrate the underground origin of Ragtime and the crossover success of Rock and Roll to uncover profound African American contributions to our cultural landscape. This music became a vehicle for "cultural sovereignty," allowing a vanguard generation of freeborn Black artists to subvert the stereotypes of the minstrel tradition and assert Black humanity.

As we explore music from the reconstruction era through the post-war years, we will confront the biases and challenges that these musicians faced. Reclaiming these often forgotten or expunged stories is essential to our cultural integrity.  

On our journey we will:

• Discover the direct thread connecting early Ragtime to the birth of Rock and Roll.  
• Examine how labels like "Race Music" and "Jungle Music" were used to marginalize innovation, and how artists thrived regardless.
• Learn how Black musicians used the stage to reclaim their narratives and gain a foothold in a society that tried to silence them.
• Celebrate the "merit, innovation, and joy" that permeates the Black musical experience, even in the face of systemic erasure.
• Develop a deeper appreciation for the integrity and accountability required to truly "remember and commemorate" our musical history.

Learn to listen with new ears on this melodic journey that celebrates the perseverance and innovation of the artists who didn’t just play the music of their time—they personified the American dream! 

Instructor

Daniel E. Atkinson

Daniel E. Atkinson is an independent scholar who received his PhD in ethnomusicology from the University of Washington, Seattle, in 2011. After stints as a jazz musician, journalist and Music Director for an NPR affiliate, he became a specialist of Afro-American vernacular expression. His dissertation research was conducted at the former slave plantation-turned-world’s-largest prison, Angola State Penitentiary in Louisiana, and it is housed at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. He has also worked as a curator with Northwest Folklife, Seattle Town Hall, and The Watkins Museum of History as well as a folklorist in Baton Rouge. His biography of George "Nash" Walker was published in September 2025 and he is currently writing Psalms of Uplift: The Life and Poetry of Junius Mordecai Allen.

Daniel Atkinson joins us from Seattle via zoom. 

Registration

This class is offered online

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Tuesday February 16,
Thursday February 18,
Tuesday February 23,
Thursday February 25

$96 for members, $128 for non-members

Description

Watch the Preview Video for Shakespeare's Comedies

Shakespeare's true comedies (we'll ignore the so-called problem plays) give us our best glimpse into what it means to be fully human. With few deaths, astoundingly silly situations, magical language, and unleashed imagination, they also constitute some of the best times we will ever have in a theater. The course will examine nine of the best-loved of his comedies with readings, videos, and performance segments.

Session 1

• Comedy of Errors
• As You Like It
• Similarities among Shakespeare's and his contemporaries' comedies

Session 2

• The Merry Wives of Windsor
• Love's Labour's Lost
• Humorous sonnets

Session 3

• The Taming of the Shrew
• Twelfth Night
• Comedic plays in the context of Elizabethan times

Session 4

• A Midsummer Night's Dream
• Much Ado About Nothing
• The Tempest 

Instructor

GregRobin Smith

GregRobin is a Shakespeare scholar and a union performer with the American Guild of Variety Artists. He is the director of the Washington Shakespeare Festival and has performed in numerous Shakespearean plays. He has been teaching since 1973 on subjects as diverse as theatre arts, Shakespeare, poetry, and medieval hands-on classes.  

Registration

This class is offered in-person